2023 Suburbs with the Lowest Cost of Living in Iowa

• Town in Iowa

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  Rating 4.38 out of 5  8 reviews

Current Resident: Monticello is a very home-like town with excellent community members. There is no doubt that the town is a small town, but this town makes the best of this. I have grown up here and I have loved it every step of the way. There are many local businesses that thrive, all school levels, and most importantly it hosts the best fair in Iowa. Monticello has been on the board for sports, mainly cross country and dance, and has been to state in numerous activities. Everyone here knows everyone, and we are all willing to help each other when needed.... Read 8 reviews

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• Population 3,994

• Town in Iowa

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  Rating 4.75 out of 5  4 reviews

Current Resident: Everyone is friendly and helpful. People go out of their way to help each other. It's a quaint little town. It has a few banks, a grocery store, Wal-Mart, Thiesens, several restaurants, a library, courthouse. The actual town is only a few miles long, but Tipton includes several miles in all directions with a lot of farmland & rural homes.... Read 4 reviews

• grade B

• grade C+

• grade A minus

• Population 3,143

• Town in Iowa

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  Rating 3.83 out of 5  6 reviews

Current Resident: I have lived in many towns and Williamsburg is by far the best. They have an amazing school program that teams up with Kirkwood Community College and a great athletic department. Many of the coaches are from the community and the whole community supports the school. The connection between the community and school is very strong!... Read 6 reviews

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• grade A

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• Population 3,322

• Town in Iowa

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  Rating 2.88 out of 5  42 reviews

Current Resident: Beautiful Mississippi River Front, over 4.5M put into for walking and biking path, gorgeous Marina updates happening in 2021, Municipal Baseball Stadium with Prospect League, Municipal 50m swimming pool, expanding skate board park, Rotary Park, Pickle Ball and Sand Volleyball with a marvelous RV Park and Boat Ramp for River access. FREEDOM Rock and WWI Crunelle Statue. Two wonderful downtowns, $255M in Capital Investment with over 150 jobs added in 2020...and more in 2021. New County facility next to Historical Court House, all schools have been renovated with the High School starting a 60M full renovation in 2021-24. Grant programs that have seen nuisance properties reduced by over 60% in last four years. Five housing sub-divisions building homes, new apartments complex opening in April 2021, two major downtown apartments buildings to be renovated, over 83 businesses in the 5th Ave S. Downtown, Rail Road Quiet Zones. Over 500 acres of Parks and things to do with a Riverview!... Read 42 reviews

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• Population 24,651

• Town in Iowa

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  Rating 4.08 out of 5  12 reviews

Current Resident: Amazing, welcoming community that supports everybody no matter what. The teachers at the schools are very welcoming and would do anything for the students as well!... Read 12 reviews

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• Population 2,916

• Town in Iowa

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  Rating 4.1 out of 5  10 reviews

Current Resident: We recently moved to Vinton from a metropolitan area and so far we love it here. The schools are great, the people are so nice, and you can get anywhere in town within five minutes. Traffic doesn't exist. The meat is ridiculously cheap (compared to the east coast), overall cost of living is so much lower, and the most unexpected... the winter isn't that bad!!! We were so prepared to feel like we were going to freeze to death, but as long as you're dressed for the weather, it's really not that bad. From the perspective of someone from a major city, Vinton may seem like an extremely rural town, but it's actually very close to three other fairly large cities. Cedar Rapids, Iowa City, and Waterloo are all thirty minutes to one hour away, and you pretty much have access to everything you need in those cities. Vinton is a very safe, tight-knit community that is increasingly family-friendly. Did I mention that the extracurricular costs are just unbelievable? :)... Read 10 reviews

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• Population 4,951

• Town in Iowa

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  Rating 3 out of 5  1 review

• grade B minus

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• grade A minus

• Population 1,232

• Town in Iowa

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  Rating 4 out of 5  11 reviews

Current Resident: Carlisle, Iowa is likely Iowa's best kept secret. The community comes together like no other, no matter the occasion. The festive 4th of July brings the entire town to the park, where we all stay for the duration of the day. Every Friday night, the football stands are completely filled. When tragedy strikes, the entire town can be found in the pew, praying. The town is filled with options for country boys and city slickers alike. The town is right in the middle of the Des Moines, Middle, and South Rivers, but also just a 15 minute drive to downtown Des Moines. Carlisle also has multiple parks and a very popular bike trail which leads to Banner, a state park with a lake. Most of the town is in the upper middle class or middle class; many people use the short commute to Des Moines for their employment. Carlisle, Iowa is a wonderful place!... Read 11 reviews

• grade B+

• grade B

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• Population 4,063

• Town in Iowa

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  Rating 3.83 out of 5  6 reviews

Current Resident: Lisbon is the safest town there is! It is small but mighty and I would recommend anyone looking for somewhere to start a family to do it here. It is rather small but the community is fantastic. The public school has teachers that care and it just received a brand new auditorium, along with a track and new high school classrooms. This town really means something to me. I grew up here and trust the people with my life. The town has a great park and is safe enough for children to ride their bikes around town. The neighboring town of Mount Vernon is also very safe. It has cute shops and more things to do as well. Lisbon is close to Cedar Rapids, Marion, and Iowa City if you are looking for work. We just got a new bypass that has traffic detoured around town. That means less traffic and less noise. It also makes the commute to the bigger cities faster and more efficient. I would recommend Lisbon to anyone. Not just because I live here, but because Lisbon is the best community I would ever!... Read 6 reviews

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• grade B+

• Population 1,924

• Town in Iowa

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  Rating 4 out of 5  8 reviews

Current Resident: Camanche is a great city to grow up and reside in. It is a smaller tight knit community that cares deeply about in the town. They pride themselves in town, community, and school spirit. Kids are able to make life long friends that they will go to school with from kindergarten through 12th grade in Camanche.... Read 8 reviews

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• grade C+

• grade B+

• Population 4,545

• Town in Iowa

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  Rating 3.61 out of 5  18 reviews

Current Resident: My partners and I just moved to Mount Vernon a few months ago (as of my typing this), and it has turned out to be a real dream town! The combination of small town and college town vibes are perfectly balanced, creating an environment that is welcoming to newcomers, conducive to creators, and protective of its citizens. Having Cornell College just down the street is a never-ending source of inspiration and joy, bringing in new face and fresh ideas every year. The city takes great pride in its many landmarks, and its people strive to honor its roots. The stores and restaurants are all absolutely delightful to visit, and there are a plethora of events from farmer's markets to chalk festivals to bring people together any time of the year. The only place it falls short is in affordability, but even as costly as it is, Mount Vernon absolutely belongs at the top of the list of greatest places to live in Iowa.... Read 18 reviews

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• grade B+

• Population 4,498

• Town in Iowa

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  Rating 3.41 out of 5  37 reviews

Current Resident: I was raised in Muscatine, IA and have attended school from kindergarten through 12th grade in the Muscatine school district. The City of Muscatine has a lot to offer families. Muscatine has a beautiful, historic downtown and a newly renovated river walk along side the Mississippi River. There is an bike route that runs from one end of town to the other that runs through parks, along the river and through some more remote areas outside of town. This bike path lets one experience views from within the city and in nature. The beautiful and elegant Merrill Hotel is an upscale hotel that has become a promising focal point of the downtown. There are coffee shops spread throughout the city to quench avid coffee drinkers appetites. The Palms Theatre houses 10 state of the art theatres. Muscatine has excellent sports programs at the city and school level with one of the best soccer stadiums in Iowa. Muscatine has many more positives than negatives. It could use more clothing stores.... Read 37 reviews

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• Population 23,759

• Town in Iowa

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  Rating 3.64 out of 5  14 reviews

Current Resident: Washington has always been a great community and over the past few years seems to be getting even better! There has been a lot of progress made and more to come. Our schools are fantastic, our downtown square is one of, if not the nicest in the state, and we are in the process of building a new YMCA/Wellness park to name a few great things. If we could get some new housing and some more high quality employers to move to town Washington would really take off!... Read 14 reviews

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• Population 7,314

• City in Iowa

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  Rating 3.58 out of 5  280 reviews

Current Resident: I love the city of Davenport, and I am still living here. I was raised in this city ever since I was born. Many restaurants are serving delicious food at an affordable price. Many small shops are worth going to as well. Davenport would also have an annual Mississippi Valley Fair! There would be concerts and a lot of fun activities. The Northpark Mall is a splendid place because there are many stores that I have went to and had a great experience! Some areas in Davenport have small businesses, and they would offer spectacular services. It is uncommon to witness a rude employee in Davenport. The only setback is that I wish there would be more sidewalks and areas for people to walk outside instead of driving a vehicle. Davenport is peaceful, so if you like places that are calm and quiet, then Davenport should be visited.... Read 280 reviews

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• Population 101,725

• Suburb of Cedar Rapids, IA

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  Rating 4.8 out of 5  5 reviews

Current Resident: Ely is a wonderful town to grow up in - very safe and quiet. It severely lacks in diversity, though. Last I knew, the town was comprised of at least 94% Caucasians. It would be nice to see the breed restriction lifted on pet dogs as well. The houses are very "cookie-cutter" so to speak; while it could make for a great filming location for a horror movie or an Oxygen Network special, the development could do with some variance.... Read 5 reviews

• grade B+

• grade B minus

• grade B+

• Population 2,163

• Suburb of Cedar Rapids, IA

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  Rating 3.68 out of 5  110 reviews

Current Resident: Marion is a small but growing town just outside of Cedar Rapids, Iowa. It seems that multiple times a month there are activities like art fairs and parades happening uptown, seemingly always without issue due to safety measures. The town offers two school districts of which are both quite diverse. There is a wide variety of jobs available whether it be for a teen searching for their first job or a person in search of their professional workplace. Marion is definitely more on the quiet side but this does not change the neat features of the town like city parks or the Marion Public Library. There is something for everyone if they search for it.... Read 110 reviews

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• Population 41,023

• Town in Iowa

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  Rating 3.48 out of 5  144 reviews

Current Resident: I like the small town feeling with access to a big city, Omaha. There’s neighborhoods that are new and some that are old but much of Coumcil Bluffs is unknown to people in Omaha. There are great restaurants, museums, and parks!... Read 144 reviews

• grade B minus

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• Population 62,617

• Town in Iowa

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  Rating 3 out of 5  8 reviews

Current Resident: For being a small town, there are lots of opportunities in the community. There is a strong sense of togetherness about the people and everyone in the community is very welcoming and caring.... Read 8 reviews

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• grade C

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• Population 5,332

• Suburb of Cedar Rapids, IA

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  Rating 4.09 out of 5  11 reviews

Current Resident: Quiet. Not much crime that I could see. People keep an eye on things in the neighborhood. Many residents will help out if you need something. Close to all the amenities and if not things are within 20 minutes. People are friendly and say hello when you walk by. Nice parks that are well maintained.... Read 11 reviews

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• grade A

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• Population 7,184

• Town in Iowa

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  Rating 4 out of 5  4 reviews

Current Resident: DeWitt is an amazing town. Yes, it is small, but it is certainly friendly and has all you need in its bounds with larger cities just a short 30-minute drive away. This is a very community-driven town centered around family.... Read 4 reviews

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• grade B

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• Population 5,466

• Town in Iowa

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  Rating 4.14 out of 5  7 reviews

Current Resident: There is definitely a lot of diversity in this town and opportunities for recreation. I enjoy that there is a pool and a soccer complex. It is a big volleyball and wrestling town if you enjoy that sort of thing.... Read 7 reviews

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• Population 3,847

• Suburb in Iowa

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  Rating 1 out of 5  1 review

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• grade C

• grade B+

• Population 3,796

• Town in Iowa

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  Rating 3.93 out of 5  55 reviews

Current Resident: Indianola is a great family town. Annually hosting numerous community events for families to participate in, Indianola also brings in many travelers. Its town square has many boutiques and local restaurants that provide a place for families to shop and enjoy each other's company. Indianola also hosts many sports tournaments throughout the year at our local sports complexes bringing in families from near and far. There are many suburban neighborhoods that are lined with homes fit perfect for families and for a reasonable price. All in all, Indianola has lots to offer for young and old and is a great place to live.... Read 55 reviews

• grade B+

• grade B

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• Population 15,544

• Town in Iowa

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  Rating 3.67 out of 5  9 reviews

Current Resident: Adel is a safe area that is full of friendly people. I've never had any issues while in Adel. There's not much to do here because it is a small town, but there's some good qualities to it!... Read 9 reviews

• grade B+

• grade B

• grade B

• Population 5,867

• Suburb of Des Moines, IA

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  Rating 3.68 out of 5  47 reviews

Current Resident: Norwalk is a growing community that maintains a "small town" feel. Access to downtown Des Moines is quick and easy with an abundance of shopping in close proximity but quiet at home. Easy access to the airport. Norwalk is connected to the Great Western Trail with several new parks across the City. There is one large new park with a trail and water features. The school system is superb with non-open enrollment. Only people living in the district can enroll. My wife and I like knowing the school will only grow as fast as the City grows. We will call this home until retirement!... Read 47 reviews

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• grade B+

• grade B

• Population 12,592